Money Saving DIY Window Treatments: How Making Curtains & Drapes Yourself Can Save You Money

I don’t know about you but I’m short on both time and money and I’m always looking for ways to save money.

That doesn’t mean that I don’t want to be surrounded by colors and fabrics that inspire me — especially when it comes to my window treatments.

I can help you save money if you want to try diy blinds.

Whether you’re moving into a new home, building your own, or just looking to give your current home a face-lift with new window treatments, these tips will help you make your own window coverings without spending a fortune.

I’m going to show you some ways to save money making curtains and drapes while using things you already have around the house!

As a money-conscious and somewhat crafty gal, I’m often taking shortcuts and looking for opportunities to save money. When it comes to my home decor, saving money doesn’t mean skimping on good design.

I decided to order plain white IKEA panels for the majority of my windows since they are super affordable ($20/pair), and customized them with some of the diy tips below.

When friends visit and say “oh my gosh I bet that cost a fortune” when they see my curtains, I love being able to say “no actually I made them myself”.

Let’s get started!

 

First, Choose the Style

Before you set out on your search for supplies, decide what style window coverings you want.

You’ve got 3 basic options for diy window treatments:

• Blinds: allow you to control the amount of light coming into a room and tend to be more affordable and precise in light control.
• Curtains: add a nice aesthetic to the room, add color, can set the mood of the room, and are often machine washable.
• Window film: helpful for windows that need to be covered for privacy. Window film is available in various designs and can be found at home improvement stores or online.

Once you determine the style you want — there are a few more things to think about.

Here are some additional questions to ask yourself:

• What are you trying to accomplish: add to the aesthetic? privacy? insulation? light-blocking?
• Will you be opening and closing them often?
• Do you want to make them or buy them?
• If you want to make them, what’s your skill level?
• How much do you want to spend?

Once you’ve chosen the type of window covering you’re looking for you can decide if you’re going to hire someone or try diy blinds on your own!

 

Why You Should Try DIY Window Treatments

So, here’s the deal. There are some really cute and easy ways to save money making curtains and drapes.

But just for fun — I’ll tell you how much you can actually save.

A friend of mine had a large living room window block that consists of 2 smaller windows on the outside with 1 larger window in the middle. She knew I was somewhat crafty, so she asked for my help.

The smaller outside windows are 23 inches wide by 50 inches tall and the bigger window in the middle is 50 inches wide by 50 inches tall.

She selected a 3/4 inch black-out cellular shade with the top-down/bottom-up feature. She contacted a local interior designer by using Thumbtack.com.

Here’s what she discovered when she considered hiring someone:

• The estimate for her 2 smaller shades was $255 each.
• The estimate for her larger shade was $395.
• The installation fee was only $49, so that’s actually pretty good.

However, the total costs for blinds and installation came out to $954, and with $52.47 for taxes, that’s a grand total of $1,006.47 to hire someone to make and install the blinds.

Needless to say, we hopped online to see how to have some fun and make our own diy blinds with saving money on our minds!

 

Items To Use When Making DIY Blinds

When you’re trying to save money, it’s a great idea to see what you already have in your home. Instantly transform simple store-bought curtain panels and inexpensive fabric into something special with these quick and easy window treatment ideas.

If eyes are the windows to the soul, then think of window treatments as the hairstyle, the make-up, or the jewelry. I’m very visual, so I love the analogy.

Windows without treatments can look a little bare. All it takes to dress them up is add some curtains, blinds, or maybe even add a valance.

Here are my favorite ideas for diy window treatments using what you probably already have at home:

• Bracelets
• Knotted Scarves
• Neckties
• Vintage Belt
• Golf Club
• Penants

Now that you’ve added a splash of personality and color without spending a fortune, invite your friends over.

You’ll have saved so much money that springing for a few appetizers and desserts will be no problem. Throw a movie in for the kids and enjoy sharing how you created each work of art.

https://youtu.be/WbPCdjHyt0k

By the way — in helping my friend make her own diy window treatments, she only spent $68 total on her window treatment project (the $68 was spent on craft items and a few pieces of fabric).

She mainly used scarves and other items she found around the house. That’s a savings of $938.47!

 

More About DIY Window Treatments

In addition to the links I’ve included above, I found that these sites have some great resources for making diy blinds and money saving diy window treatments:

• Duct Tape Window Treatments
• 8 Clever Window Treatments For Renters
• Examples Of The Types Of Window Treatments